12 Black Roses
by The Brunette Bullet Girl
Summary: When women start turning up dead in their homes, the only clue to the killers identity is a single black rose, clasped under their lifeless hands. So far 11 victims have been found.  They say there are 12 roses in a bunch, so who's the 12th rose for?
1. Chapter 1: Sonnets In Black

**Chapter 1: Sonnets In Black**

The street was cold and damp as Jillian made her way across the busy Melbourne Street. The sound of her heels clicking on the foot path mingled in with the rest of the sounds of the street as she walked down the fractured concrete foot path.

She was tired, her eye lids lazily opening and closing behind her sunglasses, but yet again, she was glad that her day was almost over. Only one thing left to do before she could put her feet up and relax at home.

Removing her sunglasses, setting them on top of her head as she approached the door of the florist, the tinkle of the tiny bell above the door alerting staff of a customer coming in or leaving.

"Hello Miss Somerfield, how are you today?" came the cheerful voice of the young man at the counter.

"Tired and over worked." she replied, falling into the familiar comfortable couch by the counter. "How are you Thomas?"

"I'm fine." he replied as he laughed, pulling out a few photo booklets, handing them to Jillian.

"Adrian asked me to give these to you so you can have a look at."

Jillian's face lit up. "Ah! The sample booklets she said she'd make up for me!"

"Also," Thomas said, giving Jillian another hand full of booklets. "Adrian said have a look at some of the bouquet designs in this one. She said something about you wanting red roses."

"Oh yes! That's right! Thanks for that, Thomas." she said as she got up off the couch and slipped the booklets into her hand bag.

Thomas grinned back at her, "Not a problem."

"Thanks heaps!" she replied before leaving the store, Thomas' eyes following her the whole time.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Thomas pulled up a few door down from the house, the late evening sun reflecting off the windscreen. His sole focus, the woman who had just pulled into her driveway.

He watched her intensely, his gaze never wavering as she got out of the car, her overcoat whipping furiously around her, her long brunette hair battering about her face as she quickly pulled a black leather case along behind her, closing the door and locking the car behind her as she quickly made her way inside, out of the cold Melbourne night.

He sat and sat, patiently watching her as she went about her evening rituals that he had come to know over the period of time he had been watching her.

The sun had set and a light rain had started to descend upon the city. The lights of the houses turned on, basking the street in an insipid glow.

Thomas watched as her's turned on as well, her shadow being cast across the curtains, highlighting her every movement.

He sat there for hours, enthralled by every movement, until finally her lights had began to flick off, starting with her kitchen followed by her living room lights, leaving only her bedroom light on, casting soft shadows across the curtains.

Thomas watched until finally her bedroom lights flicked off, basking her whole house in darkness before driving off into the dark cold night.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Thomas walked up the steps onto the porch before ringing the door bell, a book of photographs in his arms.

"Just a minute!" came the female reply from deep within the house.

He stood waiting until the door opened, being greeted by a young brunette woman.

"Adrian wanted me to drop this off for you." he said, handing her the book of photographs.

"OH!" she said, accepting the book, smiling at Thomas. "Thanks heaps Thomas!"

"Not a problem, Jillian," Thomas said, smiling.

"OH! Can you return something to Adrian for me?" she asked.

Thomas nodded his head. "Yeah, no problem."

"Great!" she said, happily. "Let me just get it." she said before quickly walking down the hallway, not noticing as Thomas followed her, closing the door quietly behind him.

Turning around, Jillian was startled at Thomas standing behind her, one of her lamps in his hand, raised, ready to strike.

"Wha-" she started to say but was cut off as Thomas brought the lamp heavily down upon her head.

She felt the pain shoot up each nerve in her body as it split her head open. It was so surreal to her, she had never felt pain anything like this.

She felt each and every blow as she tried to flee, falling to her knees as she did so, the attack continuing on ruthlessly.

Thomas kept bringing the lamp down on her head over and over, her blood splattering across the walls with every blow. He kept hitting her as she staggered up the hallway trying to get away.

Finally she stumbled to the floor, all the fight drained from her as he kept bringing the lamp down across her head.

Finally she stopped fighting, the pain becoming too much to bare as she slumped to the floor, the darkness finally claiming her, taking her away from the pain and suffering.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Thomas left the chaotic scene, envisaging it in his mind's eye as he went.

Jillian lay in the middle of the bed. A sheet stained with her blood, once warm, covered her body from her chest to her thighs, her hands clasped together across her breasts. A single black rose was resting under them.

He had to make sure that the next was just as precise as the last. A smile formed on his face as he drove off into the late afternoon sunset.

_Tbc…_


	2. Chapter 2: Serial Killer On The Loose

**AN: **Well, it's been more than 2 months since my last update - so sorry about that guys But most of this chapter (and a few more) had been written way before my first post and had been sitting in my beta readers inbox, but I totally forgot about it as uni decided to rare it's ugly head and demand aaalllllll of my attention and still does (go figure… *rolls eyes*)

Unfortunately, I'm not someone who can focus on more than two things at once, even though I try!

Anyways, there is a bit of fluff in this chapter… as in, 'if you blink, you'll miss it' and much, much more to come in the future of this fic! LOL :P

So far, this chapter, and the ones following, have been tough to write, especially since we don't see all of that much of ME Ronnie… But I'll try my best! But I would love to send a massive thanks to langfieldl for the beta… thanks hon! And thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far… hope that everyone enjoys this chapter and the ones yet to come! And don't forget to post your reviews, or I might just take longer to post the next chapter! Hahahaha… LOL… No… I'm serious…

Anyways_, "Tu sei il mio tutto"_ is Italian for "You are my everything"

**Chapter 2: Serial Killer On The Loose**

DSC Matt Ryan stood in shock at the horrific scene before him; but he was no more shocked than his partner. DSC Jennifer Mapplethorpe half staggered into his muscled frame upon entering the crime scene, and he could see she was shocked to the core at the amount of blood that was everywhere. Shocking Jennifer took a lot, but he could certainly understand her reaction. Bright red splatters stained the formerly white walls, a large pool of deep red blood lay in the middle of the living room.

DCS Duncan Freeman and DSC Simon Joyner walked up to them, their faces reflecting their own.

"Jillian Somerfield. She was found by her neighbour when she came over to give her a bridal magazine. Neighbour said she was getting married in 4 weeks." Simon said, grimly.

"Exactly the same as the other six." Jennifer said quietly, looking around the living room. Blood was splattered everywhere, up chairs and tables, across photos that hung from wall hooks, over a floral arrangement that had been knocked to the floor in the struggle, chunks of what Jennifer assumed was brain matter was on the floor and up the wall closest to her, and a lamp lay discarded on the floor by the coffee table, covered in blood, hair embedded in the base along with more brain matter. No wonder the woman hadn't survived long. This was a frenzied attack, just like the others.

"Same M.O and signature," Jennifer pointed out as she looked back at them.

"Who ever this guy is, he's a bloody savage." Duncan said in disgust.

"We know," Matt replied, looking at the state of the walls in the living room and hallway.

"Ronnie's up the hall in the bedroom." Simon said, pointing up the hall.

Matt and Jennifer turned and walked up the hallway, the further they travelled, the less blood they found until they reached the bedroom.

"Ah! Detectives'." Ronnie said as she stood, hunched over the corpse of the woman, her gloved hands poking at the wounds.

"Ronnie," Matt said, standing near the door as Jennifer walked past him and stood next to Ronnie.

"Well," Ronnie began, talking a deep breath in, standing up before continuing. "Three of four overpowering blows to the head from a homemade weapon fashioned at the scene."

"The lamp we found in the living room." Jennifer stated, looking at Ronnie.

"More than likely." She said, before bending back over the corpse. "He moves her in here when she's dead then rapes her, leaving his calling card," she said picking up an evidence bag with a black roses in it. "And he ejaculates on the bed sheets that cover her."

"His final act of degradation." Jennifer replied, disgusted. "Sick bastard."

Matt simply stood there, his face a mask, but Jennifer could see through it, she knew that he was disturbed by what they had just been told. She couldn't blame him, it had even shaken the hardened sergeant standing by the door, Jennifer had watched as he quickly exited the room leaving only herself, Matt, Ronnie and a few forensics officers.

No one really knew what to say, all too taken aback to form words.

"Thanks Ronnie." Matt said, ushering Jennifer out of the room.

"This guys an animal," Matt quietly said to Jennifer, his arm brushing against hers, sending warm tingles up her spine as they walked back down that hall and into the living room where Duncan and Simon were. She couldn't do anything but nod, too caught up in the man beside her.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Jennifer walked back towards Matt who was just finishing up with a neighbour.

"Anything?" He asked.

"The neighbour that found her said that she only saw a florist delivery van arrive shortly before 4pm yesterday afternoon, but she said she had said that Jillian had said that she was trying to decide on her bouquet arrangement for the wedding, so she didn't take very much notice to it." Jennifer said, closing her folder before looking back at Matt.

"How about you?"

"Much the same; some saw the florist delivery van and didn't take very much notice of it, but the elderly lady in 54 took down the business name and phone number that was on the side, McDermott Florists." Matt said, leaning back against the side of the car, sitting his note book up on the roof on top of Jennifer's.

"Hmmm, I saw some floral arrangement booklets from there on the kitchen counter." She said, looking at Matt.

Looking down, Matt clasped her smaller hand in his larger one, letting his thumb caress the soft skin of the top of her hand. Jennifer looked down at this public show of affection before looking back up at him, a shy smile on her face.

"Can't I show my girlfriend some affection every now and then?" Matt asked, squeezing Jennifer's hand, a grin plastered on his face.

Just as she was about to reply, they saw Simon and Duncan walking back down the street. Quickly, they disentangled their hands, Jennifer frowning at the loss of contact as the two walked towards them.

"What did you find out?" Duncan asked as soon as they stopped in front of them.

"People saw a florist delivery van, but only one lady decided to take down some contact details. McDermott Florist." Matt said, handing them a sheet of paper with a phone number and address on it.

"Same with us, they saw it, but didn't take any notice of it." Duncan said, taking the sheet of paper off Matt.

"We'll check it out, meet you back at the office." Simon said, pulling the keys out of his pocket and walking away with Duncan towards their car leaving Matt and Jennifer standing together by their own car watching as they drove away.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Duncan and Simon pulled up in front of the little florist boutique which was situated only 15 minutes from the office. Getting out of the car, they approached the front door, Duncan a head of Simon, the tinkle of the bell as they walked through the door.

"Hello gentlemen, how may I help you today?" asked a woman in her mid 30's.

"I'm Detective Freeman and this is my partner, Detective Joyner and you are?"

"I'm Adrian McDermott, the owner, why? What's happened?" She asked, slightly panicked.

"Nothing's happened; we're just asking some general questions. Can you tell me how many florist van's you have?" Simon said, calming the woman down a little.

"Only the one delivery van, but I do have 2 cars, my own personal one and one for staff to use for visiting clients and picking up orders." she said slightly confused.

"We're here because your florist van was seen around the Fitzroy area, outside the residence of Jillian Somerfield." Simon said, looking through his notes before Adrian cut in.

"Jillian, yes, I know her she's one of my clients, one of my employees was dropping off some sample booklets for her. She's getting married in a few weeks. Why? What's going on?"

"I'm afraid that Jillian has been murdered." Simon said, looking at the woman after he wrote down some notes.

"Murdered? Who would do such a thing! She was such a kind young woman." Adrian said, startled and distressed.

"That's what we're trying to figure out. Can you tell us the name of the employee that you sent around to her residence?" Duncan butted in, note book at the ready.

"Thomas, Thomas Carter." Adrian replied, taking a seat.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Jennifer walked out of the lift, alone, after Matt had decided to get coffee for the team.

Walking towards her desk, she immediately saw a small tube resting on her desk, from where she was standing; she could make out the faint pink of a rose within the clear tube.

She picked up the tube and pulled off the little card that was attached. She couldn't help but smile broadly at the familiar handwriting and the message, '_Tu sei il mio tutto_'. She knew exactly who it was from, which sent a warmth throughout her before it settled in the bottom of her stomach, stirring familiar feelings within her.

"Someone's got themselves a secret admirer!" Duncan laughed when they walked towards their desks, Jennifer quickly shoving the letter into her pocket, her cheeks colouring.

"Oooh I wonder who it might be?" Simon laughed, joining in the friendly banter.

Jennifer grinned, "You will never know." She said before taking the rose out and putting it in a glass of water on her desk, picking up her folder before walking towards the layout room.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Everyone sat around the table hours later, takeaway coffee cups lay long since discarded in front of them, courtesy of Matt, only to have been replaced a few hours later by glass coffee mugs with fresh steaming hot coffee in them. On the whiteboard, photos of the bloody crime scenes, driver's license photos of the victims and photos of the black roses on the woman's chests from each crime scene, along with photos of the McDermott Florist employees, were stuck to it.

"Black roses can't be all of that easy to get a hold of," Duncan said, looking over towards Jennifer. Her fingers flying across the keyboard.

"I wonder what the significance of leaving the rose on the victim's chest is about?" Simon then said, his gaze fixed on the photo of the rose.

Jennifer stopped typing. "Well it says here," Jennifer began, getting everyone's attention. "That black roses are symbolic of death,"

"Oh great," Duncan butted in, Jennifer shooting him a glare before he could continue, his mouth promptly closing, the snarky response disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

"Many people view black roses as an omen, but they can signify change or rejuvenation upon the horizon, as some rose buds may appear black, but when they bloom, they bloom crimson red." Jennifer ended, looking at Matt, Matt looking back at her knowing where they had heard that before.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Thomas had no idea of how long he had been sitting there for, but the sun had set about half an hour ago. But he continued to sit there in the dark of his van, in the shadows out of sight.

Finally after hours of waiting, a brunette woman walked from inside the building, laughing with friends as they walked towards their cars, the brunette woman getting into her own car and driving off into the night.

_Tbc…_


End file.
